Rep. Ilhan Omar called Jerry Seinfeld’s remarks about Palestine “disgusting,” “disturbing,” and “downright dangerous,” after the comedian denied Palestine “doesn’t exist” while exiting a Wednesday NBA Finals game—comments she says erase an entire history and c
Rep. Ilhan Omar didn’t just disagree with Jerry Seinfeld—she went for the jugular.
On Capitol Hill, the Minnesota congresswoman blasted Seinfeld for remarks she described as “disgusting,” “disturbing,” and “downright dangerous.” Omar said he was using a massive platform to diminish an entire group of people while refusing to acknowledge the devastation Palestinians have endured.
Her reaction came after Seinfeld’s comment surfaced in a moment that, to Omar, only sharpened the stakes. She pointed to what she called deeply offensive language that arrived when a streamer asked Seinfeld to say “Free Palestine” on his way out of Wednesday’s NBA Finals game. Omar said Seinfeld’s response—saying Palestine “doesn’t exist”—works to deny people their entire history.
Omar’s argument was blunt: language that erases a group’s past doesn’t stay in the realm of opinion. She said language denying people their entire history carries serious consequences, regardless of whether it’s spoken by a celebrity or “anyone else.”
She also raised what she sees as a painful irony—Seinfeld’s community suffered through the Holocaust, and Omar said he should recognize the dangers of rhetoric that seeks to erase another group of people.
By the time she finished, Omar’s message to Seinfeld wasn’t about politics or personality. It was about the impact of words—especially when they’re spoken loudly, widely, and in public.
Ilhan Omar Jerry Seinfeld Palestine Free Palestine NBA Finals Capitol Hill Minnesota Congresswoman